at|ten|u|ate

at|ten|u|ate
at|ten|u|ate «verb. uh TEHN yu ayt; adjective. «uh TEHN yu iht», verb, -at|ed, -at|ing, adjective.
–v.t.
1. to weaken in force, amount, or value; reduce: »

The authority of kings has been attenuated in modern times.

2. Bacteriology. to make (microorganisms or viruses) less virulent: »

Former vaccines against anthrax, dating back to the time of Pasteur, were made from attenuated, or weakened, spores of the anthrax germs (Science News Letter).

3. to make thin or slender: »

He was attenuated by hunger.

4. to make less dense; dilute.
–v.i.
to become thin or slender: »

An earthworm's body alternately attenuates and thickens as it crawls.

–adj.
2. thin in consistency.
3. Botany. gradually tapering.
╂[< Latin attenuāre (with English -ate1) < ad- to + tenuāre make thin < tenuis thin]
–at|ten´|u|a´tion, noun.
–at|ten´u|a´tor, noun.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • po|ten|ti|ate — «puh TEHN shee ayt», transitive verb, at|ed, at|ing. to give power or potency to; make more active; strengthen: »Certain narcotics potentiate the effects of alcohol in the body. SYNONYM(S): increase, intensify. –po|ten´ti|a´tion …   Useful english dictionary

  • in|ten|er|ate — «ihn TEHN uh rayt», transitive verb, at|ed, at|ing. to make tender; soften: »Thus she [nature] contrives to intenerate the granite and felspar (Emerson). ╂[< in 2 in + Latin …   Useful english dictionary

  • ex|ten|u|ate — «ehk STEHN yu ayt», transitive verb, at|ed, at|ing. 1. to make the seriousness of (guilt, a fault, or an offense) seem less; excuse in part: »The hunger of his children extenuated his crime of stealing a loaf of bread. His foreign upbringing… …   Useful english dictionary

  • at·ten·u·ate — …   Useful english dictionary

  • ten — af·ten; aglis·ten; an·ten·nal; an·ten·nar·ia; an·ten·na·ri·i·dae; an·ten·na·ry; an·ten·na·ta; an·ten·nate; an·ten·ni·fer; an·ten·ni·form; an·ten·nu·la; an·ten·nu·lar; an·ten·nule; ap·pe·ten·cy; ar·ten·kreis; as·tro·pec·ten; at·ten·si·ty;… …   English syllables

  • ate — ab·bre·vi·ate; ac·cel·er·ate; acra·ni·ate; ac·u·ate; acu·le·ate; ac·yl·ate; adul·ter·ate; af·fec·tion·ate; af·fil·i·ate; ag·ate; ag·glom·er·ate; al·kyl·ate; al·lit·er·ate; am·mo·ni·ate; ap·pro·pri·ate; ar·che·go·ni·ate; as·cid·i·ate; as·per·ate;… …   English syllables

  • at|ten´u|a´tor — at|ten|u|ate «verb. uh TEHN yu ayt; adjective. «uh TEHN yu iht», verb, at|ed, at|ing, adjective. –v.t. 1. to weaken in force, amount, or value; reduce: »The authority of kings has been attenuated in modern times. 2. Bacteriology. to make… …   Useful english dictionary

  • at|ten´|u|a´tion — at|ten|u|ate «verb. uh TEHN yu ayt; adjective. «uh TEHN yu iht», verb, at|ed, at|ing, adjective. –v.t. 1. to weaken in force, amount, or value; reduce: »The authority of kings has been attenuated in modern times. 2. Bacteriology. to make… …   Useful english dictionary

  • po|ten´ti|a´tor — po|ten|ti|ate «puh TEHN shee ayt», transitive verb, at|ed, at|ing. to give power or potency to; make more active; strengthen: »Certain narcotics potentiate the effects of alcohol in the body. SYNONYM(S): increase, intensify. –po|ten´ti|a´tion …   Useful english dictionary

  • po|ten´ti|a´tion — po|ten|ti|ate «puh TEHN shee ayt», transitive verb, at|ed, at|ing. to give power or potency to; make more active; strengthen: »Certain narcotics potentiate the effects of alcohol in the body. SYNONYM(S): increase, intensify. –po|ten´ti|a´tion …   Useful english dictionary

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